- Open-pollinated
- Slicer
- 85 (estimated) days to maturity (from transplant)
- Indeterminate
- Black
Black Beauty
Open-pollinated slicer from USA. Bred for extreme anthocyanin: true black skin over dense, oily, earthy flesh. Ready in about 85 days from transplant.
Single source · Updated Sep 9, 2026 · Values marked like this (estimated) are estimates.
At a glance
- Fruit type
- Slicer 6–10 oz (170–280 g) · Flattened globe (estimated)
- Leaf type
- Regular leaf
- Days to harvest
- 85 days (estimated) from transplant · Mid-late
- Plant height
- 5–7 ft (150–210 cm) (estimated) Tall
- Spacing
- 24 × 35 in (60 × 90 cm) (estimated)
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Position
- Handles open positions
- Growing sites
- Greenhouse · Polytunnel · Open ground
- Container growing
- Not suited to pots
- Difficulty
- Challenging (estimated) 4/5
- Skin
-
- Black
- Interior
-
- Red
Plant size and habit
Tall · Indeterminate
5–7 ft (150–210 cm) (estimated) · Regular leaf
Black Beauty is an indeterminate plant that keeps growing and setting fruit until frost; it needs a stake, cage, or trellis for the whole season. Expect a plant of 5–7 ft (150–210 cm).
Flavor
“Bred for extreme anthocyanin: true black skin over dense, oily, earthy flesh.”
Growing calendar
85 (estimated) days from transplant Mid-late
Timing shown for temperate climates; sow indoors 6–8 (estimated) weeks before your last frost date. Look up your last frost date by ZIP code →
Disease resistance
No documented disease resistances — protect this variety with good airflow and crop rotation.
Uses & tags
- Slicing
- Fresh & salads
- Novelty color
- High flavor
- Rare collector
Origin
Black Beauty was bred by Brad Gates of Wild Boar Farms from a cross of Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye and Indigo Apple, selected over five generations for extreme anthocyanin expression; where sunlight hits the fruit it goes genuinely black rather than the dark red-brown of older 'black' heirlooms, and the pigment forms in the flesh under the skin, not just on it. The flesh is dense and oily, with an earthy depth unlike anything in the traditional dark group. Full sun in hot climates is not recommended; some leaf shade keeps the fruit from scalding.
Sources
Where to buy seeds
We're adding trusted seed sources for this variety.
All photos
Questions
How do you grow a Black Beauty plant?
A Black Beauty plant grows 5–7 ft (150–210 cm) tall (estimated). Space plants 24 in (60 cm) apart in rows 35 in (90 cm) apart (estimated). Start seed indoors 6–8 weeks before your last frost (estimated); it germinates in 7–14 days (estimated). It needs full sun.
How long does Black Beauty take to mature?
Black Beauty is ready in about 85 days from transplant.
Does Black Beauty need staking?
Black Beauty is an indeterminate plant that keeps growing and setting fruit until frost; it needs a stake, cage, or trellis for the whole season. Expect a plant of 5–7 ft (150–210 cm).
Can Black Beauty be grown in a container?
Black Beauty is better suited to open ground or a greenhouse bed than a container.
Is Black Beauty resistant to disease?
No disease resistance is documented for Black Beauty.
